14.08.2024 11:30
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg revived the Roman tradition to show his love for his wife Priscilla Chan and had a massive statue of her made. Zuckerberg, who ordered the statue from world-renowned sculptor Daniel Arsham, shared this thoughtful gift on Instagram. The statue depicts Chan drinking from a cup on a windy day. This gesture was appreciated by many and led to comments praising Zuckerberg for raising the bar for all husbands.
The technology giant Mark Zuckerberg took an extraordinary step to express his admiration for his wife Priscilla Chan. Referring to the Roman tradition, he had a giant statue of his wife made.
Zuckerberg, 40, shared a photo on Instagram on Tuesday, saying "We are reviving the tradition of having your spouse's statue made in Rome" and shared a photo of himself next to the massive and detailed statue in his wife's gardens.
Chan, 39, is depicted standing next to the giant turquoise statue, wearing a pink robe and a silver-colored outfit that resembles angel wings fluttering in the wind. In the statue, Chan is seen drinking from a cup that matches the statue's pale but vibrant blue-green color.
The founder of Facebook announced that he had commissioned the artwork from the world-renowned sculptor and artist Daniel Arsham. Arsham had previously collaborated with famous brands such as Tiffany & Co. and Pokémon.
Zuckerberg said, "I've been joking about getting her statue made for years, and when the opportunity to work with Arsham came up, I finally made it happen!"
The artwork created by Arsham for the wife of Meta's CEO appears to be made of crystal and volcanic ash, similar to a statue exhibited in September at the Chiesa di Santa Caterina church in Venice.
Since the photo has received over 170,000 likes since it was shared on Tuesday morning, many people have praised Zuckerberg for giving his wife this thoughtful gift.
One Instagram user commented, "All husbands are in awe."
Another user wrote, "Raise the bar for all husbands, markiepoo."
Another jokingly said, "I was just about to get the same thing for my wife. Now I'll have to change my plan."
According to the Roman Empire, making statues of spouses, especially, was based on the Roman "pietas" ideal, which emphasized duty, loyalty, and devotion to family, gods, and the state.
The source noted that a spouse's statue generally represented these virtues and demonstrated their "moral integrity, fertility, and loyalty to their husband and family" to the public.
Only the wealthiest families in Rome could afford to have these statues made, which emphasized qualities valued in Roman society such as virtue, humility, and physical beauty.
The price of the artwork remains a secret between Zuckerberg and Arsham.